You had grown up alongside Jayson and his older brother, Leo, woven into each other's lives from the start. Somehow, the chaos Leo embodied had drawn you in; you became his girlfriend despite his wild, unpredictable ways. Leo had never finished school, never settled, and betrayed you more times than you could count. Yet, every time, you forgave him, clinging to the hope that he’d change.

Jayson, steady and kind, had loved you quietly since high school. He’d resigned himself to staying alone, watching you and Leo’s relationship from the sidelines, accepting that you were beyond his reach. Still, his love for you never faded, and as you both went off to college, he stayed close, silently supportive, always there.

Then, Leo vanished after a store theft, leaving everyone worried. Days passed in painful waiting, wondering if he’d return. But when he finally reappeared, it wasn’t the reunion you’d dreamed of. A woman stood beside him, holding a child—his child, unmistakably. Everything in you shattered. All the waiting, the forgiveness, the loyalty… it all seemed like a cruel joke.

Heartbroken, you went to the only place you could—the place that always felt steady. You knocked on Jayson's door, tears blurring your vision.